Several studies have reported association between dietary lipids and the risk of coronary heart disease. Apart from genetic factors, high fat and cholesterol content of the American diet has been considered a leading cause of coronary heart disease. Controlling the amount of cholesterol and fat in the diet is important in preventing coronary heart disease.
Conventional methods of cooking meat do not decrease the amount of fat in the cooked meat dishes to a desirable low level of fat. The data in table 1 are arranged on the basis of information published in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook Number 8-13, May 1990. These data illustrate that when three specimens, (A), (B) and (C), of raw ground beef with fat contents of 26.55%, 23.19% and 17.07% are cooked, by several methods, a substantial amount of fat is left behind in the cooked meat. Fat contents of the products, from specimens (A) and (C), by methods 1-5 of this process have been described and compared in other tables.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Fat .sup.1 content of raw ground beef and products. % Initial % Fat in fat retained Specimen Weight g Fat g product in product ______________________________________ Raw ground beef 100 (A) 26.55 (A) Broiled, medium 67 13.90 20.69 52.2 Broiled, well done 60 11.68 19.46 44.0 Baked, medium 70 14.65 20.93 55.0 Baked, well done 56 12.00 21.47 45.3 Pan-fried, medium 68 15.34 22.56 57.8 Pan-fried, well done 61 11.54 (A) 18.92 (A) 43.5 (A) Raw ground beef 100 (B) 23.19 (B) patties, frozen Broiled, medium 69 13.60 (B) 19.65 (B) 58.6 (B) Raw beef ground 100 (C) 17.06 (C) extra lean, Baked, medium 76 12.27 16.14 72.0 Baked, well done 59 9.43 (C) 15.98 (C) 55.3 (C) Broiled, medium 74 12.10 16.33 71.0 Broiled, well done 62 9.80 15.80 57.4 Pan-fried, medium 75 12.30 16.42 72.0 Pan-fried, well done 65 10.40 15.95 61.0 ______________________________________ See table 2 for comparison of lowest fat containing products from raw specimens (A) and (C).